Old Style Crossing

[LWVRR]

Howdy folks. As many of you may know, I'm working on a layout called the Laurel Line. This is a traction layout set around 1950. I was looking at a DVD I have that shows the operation of the Laurel Line and noticed the crossing signals that are used. See the picture....

It looks to be a simple traffic light.
Can this crossing signal type be modeled in Trainz?

 

[LWVRR]

Let me re-ask the question...
Has this type of signal been made in Trainz?

 

[zp423]

you could try it with the green atls signal on a wire i used it for cars though. it should work for trams too

 

[LWVRR]

This signal would have to stop traffic and be triggered by the trolley. I'll look into the atls system but I don't think it can be used like that....I could be wrong though.

 

[Retro00064]

You probably could get it to work like you want it to with the ATLS system. It would work best as a crossing system if you set the Controller object to Level Crossing Mode (LCM). However, the signal would not be able to also work as a normal traffic signal when the set-up is set to LCM. If you need it to function as a normal traffic signal with different phases as well as a crossing signal, you could set it up as a normal ATLS set-up with ATLS triggers on the railway track(s) to cause the signals to turn red whern the train/tram comes. However, the lights might not turn red soon enough, like they will when in LCM. This is okay for a city tram system with a tram signal at the intersection to stop the tram so that the lights can turn red, but I do not know if you want your tram to be willing to wait for the traffic signals to turn red before proceeding over the crossing.

Edit (forgot to say): Oh, and I do not know of any U. S. traffic signals (especially old-style ones) for the ATLS system, other than the modern ones that boat released on the DLS that are based off of Maddy25's YARN traffic signals, which are all mounted on built-in cantilevers. A U. S. version of boat's regular U. K. multi traffic signal is on my to-do list, but it could be a while before it is completed and released.

Regards.

 

[LWVRR]

My layout will not have moving traffic...not enough period vehichles. So it looks like all I need is the traffic light itself. Any ideas on what I can use?

 

[boat]

LWVRR.....

Never let it be said that I’m not up for a challenge!

I originally designed ATLS to work with trams and roads. If used in standard mode with the SPL feature it will give trams priority at road junctions, which is almost what’s wanted here. The trouble is that SPL mode is not reflected in the ‘normal’ traffic light. Used as intended, SPL will only be indicated on the specialized tram lights..... However, intrigued, I think I’ve worked out a way that will do what you want.

Firstly, if you place and rotate 4 ATLS traffic lights, set to ‘floating head’ mode as shown... this will give you a representation of the light in the picture. Not as ornate but if you want them to change colour at the correct time, it’s probably the only option at the moment. Just hang them from a 3rd party wire of some kind.

Secondly, go to my website, www.boatztrainz.co.uk and download the FULL ATLS Tutorial in pdf. Read and inwardly digest. (That should keep you busy for most of the evening!)

Now, in order to set up ATLS like a road junction but with priority to the train.... and so that the ATLS lights reflect the situation, set up ATLS as follows....

Use Standard ATLS mode – ie., NOT LCM!

Call the road traffic Route 1 and the train line Route 2

Set up the Controller like this.....

Route 1, (the road traffic) will be ‘go’ for both phases except when SPL is energised, (ie., when a train comes)
Route 2, (the train line) will be stop for both phases except when SPL is energised, (ie as it arrives.)

Cut the phase timings down to 5 seconds, (the minimum). I’ve added a second to the ’gap delay’ but it may not need this.

There will be up to a 5 second delay after the train hits the first trigger before the lights change so you will need to put your Trigger a little further out than you might otherwise have thought. But if you place it/them in the correct place, the crossing should be 'go' for the train by the time it arrives.

Set the Slave connected to the Traffic Stoppers to Route 1. Set the traffic lights facing the road to Route 1 and the lights facing the train to Route 2. If you want, you can add a ‘Tram Stopper’ on the rails set to Route 2. This will stop the train if the lights haven’t changed.

Set all Triggers to Route SPL

That should work.

Enjoy,

Boat

 

[LWVRR]

Thank You Boat!

 

[frogpipe]

I know this is an older thread, but I found it while hunting for a way to use a traffic light instead of a crossing gate. Max crossing speed is 10 mph so there's not much of a timing challenge.

Works perfectly.

Thanks Boat for both this answer AND the whole ATLS system.